'Mad Men' gets an 'A' for awkward

CNN.com ^ | 08/23/2010 | Jennifer Smith

[OldDeckHand]

Is it just me, or were there some capital “A” for "Awkward" moments on last night’s ”Mad Men”?

SCDP found itself vying for a lucrative Honda contract with competing firm Cutler Gleason Chaough. CGC poached the Clearasil and Jai Alai accounts from SCDP and agency partner Ted Chaough was a particular thorn in Don’s side, so it was important that our boys at SCDP won the account.

-snip-

Now, let’s all grab our blankies, go to our respective happy places and talk about Sally Draper for a minute. What else can you really say about last night other than, “poor Sally”? Ten-years-old and shuttled between an absent parent and a terrible one, Sally began acting out in earnest.

-snip-

Betty was infuriated with Don and slapped Sally upon seeing her butchered locks. Henry acted as the voice of reason and told Betty that grounding Sally would only make her act out further. Then at a sleepover later in the episode, Sally indulged in a little self-exploration and was caught by her friend’s mother. Oh, Sally, I’m mortified on your behalf!

Horrified, the girl’s mother brought Sally home in the middle of the night and told Betty what had transpired. Betty, the clear frontrunner for 1965’s Mother of the Year, shamed and threatened Sally and decided that she needed to see a therapist. Ugh. She really is just awful.

[OldDeckHand]

"Criticize the subject matter, but don’t imply that Miss Shipka was somehow shown on-screen ‘in the act’."

I'm pretty sure I didn't "imply" that, especially considering the description that I POSTED from the author's own story.

I think most of the reasonably intelligent people got that. I'm sorry you didn't.

[moehoward]

Agreed. It was suggestive, but nothing more.

No where near what Scorsese directed a young (13?) Jodie Fisher to do.

[Textide]

Usually when someone is quoted, it’s either in quotes or italics. Yours appeared in the first post of the thread with neither.

In that case, I’m glad you don’t see it as inappropriate direction either.

[Frantzie]

I cancelled TV a year ago because it is ALL obama and dem propaganda. Before I cancelled I saw some trailers for this trash. Just more stylish junk. Oh yeah they got the makeup, interiors, clothing, haircuts and other crpa just perfect with glib dialogue making all the white christians and wasps look like evil, back stabbing, chain smoking, adulterious creeps who sell the masses with adevrtising that lies.

TV is such s**t. Post Nov 2008 - I really loathe the propaganda boxes. Someone here will bash me that Tv is mom and apple pie. TV is addictive and it is now used like Stalin used radios that you could not turn off in the USSR.

Sports is one of the worst. Stupid Christian Tim Tebow versus the wonderful Muslim player and many other examples.

[Retired Greyhound]

I watched for a few minutes and turned it off.

It was just a nasty, negative show that made me feel icky.

And the acting wasn’t even good.

[LS]

Couldn’t watch it. I do like “Rubicon.”

[Perdogg]

Brooke Shield was 14 when she was in “Pretty baby”.

[FrdmLvr]

I couldn't help but think what was going through the mind of this YOUNG actress while she's being given direction on this "act" by some middle-aged man director on a sound-stage surrounded by teamsters. What kind of parent puts their kid through this?

That's been bothering me as well. I really think they could have come up with another vehicle to illustrate Sally's growing disfunction stemming from her parents' divorce, although, I suppose it wouldn't win them an award for being "cutting edge".

[Retired Greyhound]

I have considered cancelling TV. I mostly watch DVDs anyway.

It is alarming how involved people are in their TV shows. It’s like an alternate reality for people to live vicariously through.

I’m confused about my literature, but wasn’t it Bradbury who wrote about TV becoming interactive in the future, with people participating via remote controls?

TV is the greatest weapon of mind control.

[Lib-Lickers 2]

no she wasn’t she was twelve

[Dr. Eckleburg]

What kind of parent puts their kid through this?

Only idiots. Period.

[Atlas Sneezed]

I eagerly bought the first season. Watched it expecting it to be wonderfully nostalgic and stylish. But the stories turned out to be lame sex soap operas, not the culture, business, and creative side I wanted. Never thought once about picking up season two.

[discostu]

Serialization of stories has always gotten people highly addicted, even back when that serialization was done in newspapers and pamphlets. Serialization really taps into the basic way the human brain gets pleasure, the story goes for a while, then ends in some kind of cliff hanger, then you get to anticipate it and discuss it for a week or a month and then BAM the next installment comes out and you get the reward of them fixing the cliff hanger and then you get another cliff hanger. It’s no different for TV shows than it was for One Thousand and One Nights.

[Frantzie]

Thank you. People have jumped all over me for pointing it out. It is mind control. I went over to a realtive’s house to watch the pets for a few days. Big screen, high def, the whole 9 yards. Decided to watch the golf tourney where they fawn over Tiger and bash Phil.

I felt like I was on crack cocaine or some addictive drug. I turned it off after a short time but had the endless “dumb white guy” commercials - three in a row. Fed Ex, Konica/Minolta and another one.

I loathe TV. I think Netflix is Reed Hasting of Hastings Entertainment and he is a good guy.

I really hope interactive video and the internet kill TV. It is awful and is ALL propaganda now.

[Retired Greyhound]

TiVO and DVR are really hurting TV, so I hope that continues.

Broadcast TV has become repugnant. I was flipping channels a few months. Some show on ABC showed a scene with a post-coital, panting woman rolling off of a man in bed.They were both covered by the blanket, so there was no nudity, but it was amazing how sexual it was.

Believe me, I’m no prude. But it was really surprising to see that on “regular” TV.

[Frantzie]

Disgusting. The scene left little to the imagination. The networks are ALL pro-Obama and Victory mosque. The networks own the majority of all the cable channels. Their sprots divisions are filled with liberals. TV is disgusting.

[pabianice]

I'm not advocating anything. I'm merely questioning what this very young actress was told do on camera, and the wisdom of the parents to have their child simulate such an act and in front of so many people no less.

I see. You're advocating taking a child away from her parents' control for not exercising the control over her you'd like. Another Liberal talking point? Actors act.

[dfwgator]

Some show on ABC showed a scene with a post-coital, panting woman rolling off of a man in bed.They were both covered by the blanket, so there was no nudity, but it was amazing how sexual it was.

I wouldn't be shocked if that was on the so-called ABC "Family" Channel.

[OldDeckHand]

"Another Liberal talking point? Actors act. "

Have you always been this obtuse, or is it something that required a tremendous amount of effort?

[napscoordinator]

I am still watching the first season. I especially like the very first episode. It seems like a good show but there are so many people to figure out....lol.